Ohs Communication
Ohs Communication
Ohs Communication
May 2017
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. PURPOSE ................................................................................................................................................2
2. SCOPE .....................................................................................................................................................2
3. ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................................................................................................2
4. DEFINITIONS ...........................................................................................................................................2
4.1 COMMUNICATION .............................................................................................................................................. 2
4.2 AUDIENCE ........................................................................................................................................................ 2
4.3 SAFETY PERSONNEL ......................................................................................................................................... 2
2. SCOPE
This procedure applies to staff, students, visitors and contractors of Monash University.
3. ABBREVIATIONS
OHS Occupational health and safety
OH&S Monash Occupational Health & Safety Unit
4. DEFINITIONS
A comprehensive list of definitions is provided in the Definitions Tool. Definitions specific to this
procedure are provided below.
4.1 COMMUNICATION
Communication is the process by which information is transmitted and understood between two or
more people.
4.2 AUDIENCE
People or a group or people whom a communication is aimed. This may include staff, students,
visitors, contractors, external organisations and the general community.
Individuals in the University who have been elected or appointed to specific safety roles. These
include health and safety representatives, safety officers, biosafety officers, radiation safety
officers, laser safety officers, first aid personnel and emergency wardens.
5. SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
A comprehensive list of OHS responsibilities is provided in the document OHS Roles, Committees
and Responsibilities Procedure. A summary of responsibilities with respect to OHS communication
is provided below.
• Provisions for the communication and dissemination of OHS information are available
and appropriate for the applicable audience;
• Local communication methods and the timeframes for dissemination are suitable for
the type and significance of the information to be conveyed;
• Communication methodologies detailed in the OHS Communication plan are annually
reviewed to validate and ensure their effectiveness;
• That there is effective communication and information exchange to the relevant
stakeholders when consulting on matters that affect, or are likely to affect, their health
and safety in accordance with the OHS Consultation Procedure. Consideration must be
made for people whose language is not English and for different levels of individual
literacy.
5.2 SUPERVISORS
Supervisors are responsible to ensure they, and their applicable staff and/or students adhere to the
requirements of this procedure.
Individuals have a responsibility to comply with any safety instructions communicated to them. This
may include information posted on safety notice boards, safe work instructions, verbal instruction,
safety signs, email communications, communicated at meetings or disseminated in meeting
minutes.
Individuals should also report to their supervisor or safety officer if they have difficulty
understanding health and safety communications received.
OHS Information is disseminated by the OHS Committees, OH&S, managers and supervisors,
safety personnel and individuals with competency to provide induction, instruction or training.
Monash University’s OHS Policy and OHS Issue Resolution Procedure must be communicated to
staff and students via:
• OH&S website; and
• Local OHS notice boards.
Additional OHS information relevant to the local area (such as the contact details of the areas OHS
Consultant/Advisor, specific safety standing orders, etc.) may be displayed on OHS notice boards.
The information displayed should be checked for currency and updated on a periodic basis to
ensure accuracy of information.
OH&S must communicate relevant information to the Monash University community. The OHS
Consultants’ report/newsletter must be updated/issued at least quarterly, or when information
changes.
Some examples of relevant information include:
• Changes to OHS legislation;
• Changes to Monash University OHS Management System;
• Available services such as:
• Counselling services;
• Return to work; and
• OHS training.
All new documents produced by OH&S must be communicated to all staff via:
• An email to Safety Officers, Health & Safety Representatives and OHS committee
chairpersons;
• Local OHS committees via the Consultants’ report;
• The OH&S web site.
OHS information is also provided through the provision of induction and training. The requirements
are outlined in the OHS Induction and Training Procedure.
Emergency Information must be communicated in a timely manner in the most appropriate method
available and may include the following:
• Mobile phone or landline;
• Warden Intercommunication “red” Phones (WIP) or via the emergency speaker;
• 2 way radio or UHF communication devices;
• Audible and visual alarms (fire alarm, gas detector alarms);
• Remote area communication devices such as Emergency Position Indicating Radio
Beacon (EPIRB).
Emergency Information, such as Building Evacuation Reports must be completed by the building
Warden and/or Floor Warden and a copy provided to the local OHS Committee and submitted to
OH&S.
Before each OHS committee meeting, notice of the next meeting must be circulated to the staff
and students in the area, requesting agenda items for discussion. Items submitted must be
included on the agenda of the next meeting and the proposer invited to the meeting for discussion
of the item. Minutes of meetings must be kept and made accessible to all staff, either on notice
boards or electronically.
Health and safety information should be circulated via email or posted on websites at:
• University level;
• Faculty/divisional level; and/or
• Academic/administrative unit level.
Hazard and Incident information and statistics are communicated via the Occupational Health and
Safety Progress Reports, formulated and disseminated by OH&S. These reports provide an
overview of reported incidents and hazards and are shared at OHS committee meetings.
8. FEEDBACK TO OH&S
OH&S should record feedback received from staff, students and external parties. This feedback
should be assessed and if applicable, used to implement prompt initiatives to facilitate a safe and
healthy workplace and generate continual improvement of the OHS Management System. For
additional information, refer to the OHS Consultation Procedure.
9. TOOLS
The following tools are associated with this procedure:
10. RECORDS
10.1 OHS RECORDS RETENTION
For OHS Records document retention please refer to:
Monash University OHS Records Management Procedure
12. REFERENCES
12.1 AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS
OHS Policy
OHS Roles, Committees and Responsibilities Procedure
Health and Safety Issue Resolution Procedure
OHS Consultation Procedure
Emergency Procedures
OHS Induction and Training Procedure